' Former Cardiff City striker opens the door to a return '

' Former Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd opens the door to a Bluebirds return as he bids to maintain fitness '

06/11/15

BY ALEX BYWATER

Bothroyd says he'd be keen to train with Russell Slade's team to stay fit before the start of the next Japanese season next year

Former Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd has opened the door to a Bluebirds return.

Bothroyd, whose colourful career has seen him take in spells with Blackburn, Charlton, Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday and QPR, is currently plying his trade in the Far East with Japanese tier two side Júbilo Iwata.

But with the Japanese season coming to its conclusion at the end of this month, the 33-year-old front man is keen to keep up his fitness when he flies back to the Welsh capital.

As such, Bothroyd is eager to explore the possibility of training with Russell Slade's side.

“I'm back at the end of the month so I'm sure I'll see more Cardiff games then,” said the man who scored 45 goals for the Bluebirds in his time in the Welsh capital.

“My season ends in Japan then. I might ask Vincent Tan if I can do some training before I return for next season which starts in Japan in February.”

While Bothroyd remains keen to make a part-time return with the Bluebirds, whether Slade would be open to the proposition remains a different matter entirely.

The beleaguered boss is coming under fire from Cardiff fans after his side's 1-0 defeat to Leeds on Tuesday extended a run of five games without a City player finding the back of the net.

It led Bothroyd to argue Cardiff should follow the lead of bitter rivals Swansea City and appoint a fearless young manager in the mould of former Wales captain Craig Bellamy.

Asked what advice he'd pass on to the current Cardiff squad if he ended up training with them over the next few months, Bothroyd said: “All the top players I played with led by example.

“The players need to take responsibility. There are no characters in that dressing room.

“But I wouldn't say anything to the players, that's not my job. I would just be going there to try and get fit for my season which starts in late February or March.”

Even at 33 he would 3 times the player Ravel is

Be a bit awkward when he slade isn't good enough then asks to train

I'd have Jay back here in a heartbeat, no brainer

Be a bit awkward when he slade isn't good enough then asks to train

I would rather Bothroyd here than Slade

Certainly one of the best "big man" forwards I've seen at the club but ultimately he didn't fulfil his true potential.

As soon as he got his England cap it seemed to go to his head ( ) and he started to believe his own hype. His performances started falling away as his head was turned by the thought of a transfer to a Premier League club. I think at one time it was rumoured that Manchester United were keeping an eye on him.

Seemed to fall out with Dave Jones who was critical of him a few times and was renowned during his time here for spending more time on his arse than on his feet.

Still can't help thinking what might have happened if he hadn't gone off so early in the play off final against Blackpool.

And, perhaps more controversially, I think that if we had been promoted via that play off final, we would have had a better chance of staying up with that squad (even with Jones in charge) than we did with the squad that won promotion under Malky. I think Jones would have used the transfer funds available to strengthen the squad with proven quality and at least given us more of a chance of avoiding relegation.

He's got feck all chance after slagging Slade off, it's laughable! You can't go around saying Bellamy should be manager and the. You fancy playing for Russell Slade!

Lets be honest it was barely route 1 when Jay was with us, caressed passes from the likes of Mc Phail or Whitts.... He would soon sulk at an aimless pump from Turner

Certainly one of the best "big man" forwards I've seen at the club but ultimately he didn't fulfil his true potential.

As soon as he got his England cap it seemed to go to his head ( ) and he started to believe his own hype. His performances started falling away as his head was turned by the thought of a transfer to a Premier League club. I think at one time it was rumoured that Manchester United were keeping an eye on him.

Seemed to fall out with Dave Jones who was critical of him a few times and was renowned during his time here for spending more time on his arse than on his feet.

Still can't help thinking what might have happened if he hadn't gone off so early in the play off final against Blackpool.

And, perhaps more controversially, I think that if we had been promoted via that play off final, we would have had a better chance of staying up with that squad (even with Jones in charge) than we did with the squad that won promotion under Malky. I think Jones would have used the transfer funds available to strengthen the squad with proven quality and at least given us more of a chance of avoiding relegation.

Just my option but I believed he did fulfil his potential whilst playing with us, made the England team and hence a 25K a week contract with QPR in the Premiership, Think he thought it was just a matter of turning up on the pitch after that.

Certainly one of the best "big man" forwards I've seen at the club but ultimately he didn't fulfil his true potential.

As soon as he got his England cap it seemed to go to his head ( ) and he started to believe his own hype. His performances started falling away as his head was turned by the thought of a transfer to a Premier League club. I think at one time it was rumoured that Manchester United were keeping an eye on him.

Seemed to fall out with Dave Jones who was critical of him a few times and was renowned during his time here for spending more time on his arse than on his feet.

Still can't help thinking what might have happened if he hadn't gone off so early in the play off final against Blackpool.

And, perhaps more controversially, I think that if we had been promoted via that play off final, we would have had a better chance of staying up with that squad (even with Jones in charge) than we did with the squad that won promotion under Malky. I think Jones would have used the transfer funds available to strengthen the squad with proven quality and at least given us more of a chance of avoiding relegation.

Just my option but I believed he did fulfil his potential whilst playing with us, made the England team and hence a 25K a week contract with QPR in the Premiership, Think he thought it was just a matter of turning up on the pitch after that.

Fair point.

Be a bit awkward when he slade isn't good enough then asks to train

I would rather Bothroyd here than Slade

definetly!

Be a bit awkward when he slade isn't good enough then asks to train

I would rather Bothroyd here than Slade

definetly!

Make him manager solves the problem

If bothroyd is fit I would play him for a few month s

If bothroyd is fit I would play him for a few month s

He's got to still have abit of quality to him better than the bucket foot revell.

If bothroyd is fit I would play him for a few month s

He's got to still have abit of quality to him better than the bucket foot revell.

I could see Joe Mason linking up well with Jay Bothroyd both intelligent footballers

Slade must be like "you've a got bloody cheek to speak crap about me and still expect to train with me".

The big question is did he actually come out and say sack slade and give Bellamy the job or was he fed a loaded question by the press
I.e if Cardiff were to sack slade who should they look to as there next manager

The big question is did he actually come out and say sack slade and give Bellamy the job or was he fed a loaded question by the press
I.e if Cardiff were to sack slade who should they look to as there next manager

He said that he wasn't the right man for the job.

No brainer, get him in NOW

Sign on while you are here you might get a game because we need someone who knows where the net is